The 2008 Take a look at between India and Australia in Nagpur was a simple win for the hosts. The facet led by MS Dhoni received the toss and elected to bat to publish 441 within the first innings. Australia workforce didn’t have any recognisable spin bowling choice with Jason Krejza making a debut within the match for the guests. Krejza managed to take eight wickets within the first innings on a floor that didn’t assist seamers in any respect. However the bowler had given away 215 runs whereas doing so.
The actual spotlight of the match for Krejza got here within the 2nd innings when he cleaned up VVS Laxman with a magical turning supply. In a latest interplay with ESPNCricinfo’s The Cricket Month-to-month column, the previous Australia spinner recalled the way it was Michael Clarke who advised Australia captain Ricky Ponting to again him.
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“At first of the Take a look at I began getting taken aside a bit of bit as a result of the Indians went fairly exhausting at me. I didn’t begin doubting myself however these ideas nearly begin creeping into your thoughts,” Krejza mentioned.
“However when Shane Watson bought Murali Vijay, I keep in mind listening to Michael Clarke and Ricky Ponting speaking and Punter was going, ‘What do I do?’ and Clarkey simply mentioned, ‘Mate, you’ve bought to again your spinner, simply bowl him.’ After I heard that I used to be fairly certain I’m going to get an honest crack right here to search out my ft and maintain bowling.”
Krejza additional recalled that by the point he returned to bowl simply earlier than the Tea on Day 4, he might see that the floor had loads of assist for the spinners.
“By that stage there was a bit of little bit of tough, and I used to be considering, ‘Proper, I’ve bought some help now, I can begin attempting to throw it out into the tough and let it spin.’ We set the fields for that, with fairly a straight cowl,” Krejza recalled.
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Krejza bowled an off-break supply at 83kph which pitched outdoors off stumps, and Laxman moved in direction of his proper to push down the ball with the bat, leaving room between his legs and the stumps. The ball took a sudden flip, bought a slightest of edges of Laxman’s bat and clipped the bails.
“I name it a fluke as a result of I feel it was a fluke, like Warney’s ball of the century was a fluke,” Krejza mentioned. “In my entire profession you can in all probability rely them on two fingers, these deliveries the place every thing simply comes out completely.”
“It’s actually that ‘pinch your self’ second once I discuss again over it with individuals. These guys have been my heroes, watching them destroy spinners and destroy quicks all around the world, then unexpectedly I used to be there bowling in opposition to them and getting them out,” he added.
Krejza solely performed two Exams for Australia, however he mentioned dismissing India greats was a “nice expertise” for him. “It was a tough factor to really feel such as you belonged, as a result of these have been the individuals you watched on TV. It was an awesome expertise, unbelievable,” he signed off.